“Eleven things”

Earlier in the week the lovely Laura tagged me with a little blog quiz. As you all know I have loads of time on my hands so this was perfect! Thanks Laura.

Here are the quiz “rules”:

1: You must post these rules.
2: Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.
3: Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.

So, first up, 11 things about me. I apologise if I have mentioned these things before- see point number 1. Also it is going to be a loooooong post.

1- I have a terrible memory. It is something of a joke now because it is so bad. I also “remember” things that did not actually happen. I will explain- when I was little (maybe 6) I went on a school trip to Kew Gardens. I vividly remember seeing a massive tree with a trunk so enormous that it had little tunnel through the centre of the trunk, and I remember my friends and I playing and running around it. Skip forward 20 years and during one freezing February half term Andy and I went to Kew Gardens. We walked all over looking for the tree. I looked on the map, and asked someone who worked there. No, apparently I dreamt the tree and have somehow remembered it as real. This sort of thing has happened many a time.

2- (This is real, not a pretend memory!)- when I was five we went to live in Denmark for 6 months. My Dad was a teacher and took part in a teacher exchange, so we swapped houses with the Danish family. We lived on a little island called Bornholm, and I went to the Kindergarten there.

3-I always loved singing as a child and for several years I was in a district choir. I had to audition, and I chose to sing The Bare Necessities. See point 4.

4- I love Disney films, but not the princess films so much. When I was little I loved The Little Mermaid, and now one of my favourite films is Lilo & Stitch . The art work is beautiful (they used watercolours), it is set in Hawaii, it has Elvis for the soundtrack and the story is just lovely too.

I got this poster from Disneyland Paris and it is in our bathroom.

5- I have been to Disney World quite a few times but only as an adult (it’s wasted on the children anyway!). I first went in my final year of uni with Andy’s family, brother and his girlfriend, Aunt, Uncle and cousin in a big house. We had an amazing time and I loved it so much and we have been there several times since (once again with his family).

6- I hate rollercoasters. I hate that feeling of being dropped. A friend had a birthday party at Thorpe park (I think I was 9 or 10), and she persuaded me to go on some kind of log ride. It was awful and when we got to the end of the ride the person let us go around again and I did not have time to get out.

7- I have been a bridesmaid once, and that was for my Nan. She re-married when I was about 6, and my Mum made the dresses for me and my little sister to wear.

8- I love painting and drawing, and when I was in Infant school I won a painting competition. I painted my friend (who had broken her leg) in her wheelchair with one leg up in the air. The judges at first thought it was a bit strange- they didn’t realise what it was until they read my very original title “Emma in a wheelchair”. I won a massive box of watercolour paints, but my teacher put them in her cupboard and forgot to give them back to me (and I was scared to ask for them probably!). My parents framed the painting and at the moment it is in my cupboard at work as I showed it to my class. Now I only get to paint/ draw at work in art lessons, but one day I might start again at home.

9- I never do any ironing. I just hang up clothes so they dry flat. Andy irons his own work shirts 🙂

11- I collect US quarters. I noticed on one holiday that some quarters have a boring back, but some had a state and a picture – see the close ups here. Whenever anyone we know goes to the USA they have been keeping an eye out for any missing ones, and I finally had one of each a few years ago. But now they are releasing more for the national parks!

I got these books from a supermarket when I was in America once- they have a space for 2 of each but I mostly have one of each.

Phew that was a long ramble of 11 things.

Here are Laura’s questions and my answers:

What is your dream travel destination?

When going on holiday, I like to see sights, whether they are amazing natural views or impressive buildings. I have always wanted to go to Hawaii and New Zealand- I think they have the most stunning views and varied scenery so would make perfect road trip destinations.

If you were throwing a party for yourself what would be your theme?

An afternoon tea party. 🙂

Favourite TV show?

Oh that is a hard one. My favourite reality TV type show is The Amazing Race (it really is amazing)- we don’t get it over here in the UK that much but I love the travel element to the show. I love TV shows that have you gripped- I loved most of the 24 series, and things like Dexter.

How would you describe your taste in music?

Brilliant. Of course I would. Hmm, I suppose my music is rock/ indie (remember indie music from the 90’s?). My Dad really introduced me to music- he always used to buy Q magazine and we have been to several gigs together. Some of my fave bands for you: Ash, A, Foo Fighters, Muse, 3 Colours Red, Reef, Wilt, Blur, Bush, Hard Fi, Maroon 5, Kasabian, Green Day, Radiohead (well mainly The Bends), Badly Drawn Boy, Snow Patrol, but also some older stuff like The Beatles, and I have a love for certain types of cheesy music (eg Summer of ’69, Build me up Buttercup, A Little Respect…).

If they made a film of your life, which actress would play you?

Probably Jessica Stevenson from Spaced (and I just found out she is now called Jessica Hynes now). She is funny (I like to think I am funny) and I think pretty “normal” looking if that makes sense.

If you could have any super power what would it be?

I would love to fly. I used to dream about flying too, but for some reason I know that those were dreams and not real life.

Tea or Coffee?

Tea! All the tea. Said in the style of Peter Griffin. I found a clip but the sound is awful on my computer.

Sum yourself up in 5 words…

Indecisive, friendly, helpful, cheerful, busy.

If you could go back in time, which time period would you visit?

I don’t think I would want to go back in time. all the history I ever learnt about was horrible (especially for women anyway). Maybe I am reading too much into it. I wonder who is friendly. Perhaps the Mayans were friendly and I could watch them build their impressive temples and also drink hot chocolate.

Who would be invited to your dream dinner party?

I get very tongue tied when meeting famous people. I include Mickey Mouse in that category, so no Jonny Depp for me. I think I would choose Michael Palin. I love all his travel books, and when watching the shows you see what a friendly person he is. Plus I love hearing about peoples’ holidays, and he has had a few.

Name one thing that you collect…

Magnets. I never used to, but in the last few years (well 5 years maybe) we have started buying magnets from places we have been to on holiday. It used to be cups but they take up more space, and then I don’t want to get rid of them because they remind me of the holiday…

We might need a bigger fridge!

Right, here are the people I am going to tag (sorry if you have been tagged already).

12 thoughts on ““Eleven things””

I’m really enjoying this eleven things quiz thing! It’s been one of the most interesting get-to-know-me tags in a long while! So glad you have done it too! 🙂 I may have to steal your ‘YOU’ tag and do it myself!

I’m the opposite with rollercoasters: the drop is my favourite feeling. I love the drop of your stomach as you fall!

The soundtrack to Lilo and Stich is fantastic – one of my favourites. I love Elvis and that scene with Lilo in her room listening to ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ is just genius. 🙂

I also have a really bad memory. My younger brother remembers so much more of our childhood than me and I’m very bad in ‘reminiscing’ conversations because I remember at most 50% of the events! 😉

If you could start your own business, what would it be? My parallel universe dream job would be to own a bookshop. You know a little, old-style shop with shelves to the ceilings and ladders, sofas and coffee tables for people to sit and read their books and lots of empolyees who are good, old fashioned book obssessors!

Jessica- please do steal the tag and do it all on your blog 🙂
And I would come and do the baking for your book shop- it sounds fab 🙂
Allie- spinning is not so bad (although I am not a massive fan of feeling dizzy from teacups etc)! Funny how everyone is different!

I love that you can paint and draw! I cannot but still think it’s fun. And I don’t iron either! Jared does his own ironing if he needs to, which is only before something big, like weddings or funerals. I used to love rollercoasters, but learned a few years ago that my head no longer likes all that shaking around. I’d have to say my least favorite household chore is cleaning the bathroom.

I love these quizzes – and I love your answer to the taste-in-music question 🙂
It’s weird about the Kew Gardens tree; might it have been somewhere else you went on a trip to? I’ve been in the situation before where I’m sure I remember something and it’s not what I thought – it must have been so strange!
In answer to your number 10, I used to want to be a fighter pilot – close to being a journalist! And I never iron either, life’s too short 🙂

We seem to agree on quite a few answers – my Mum loves Michael Palin too and describes him as ‘cuddly’ 🙂

I’m glad that I shall have Johnny Depp all to myself for the purposes of my imaginary dinner party 😉

My memory is terrible too and I used to have similar pseudo-memories when I was little. People used to think I was the victim of an overactive imagination but I genuinely thought that things had happened which…hadn’t. And vice versa! My perceptions of reality were clearly a bit ‘off’ even then 😛

Lilo and Stitch is just about the only Disney film I’ve never seen. I also didn’t know you were an artist! I would love to see any of your pictures if you felt like posting about them!

Eleanor, honestly I googled it and everything and there is one tree in somewhere like California which you can walk through- I never went there, and certainly not on a school trip! Believe me this has happened many a time.
Jessica you should watch Lilo and Stitch- see if you can borrow it from the library or something- I bet you would like it. And glad it is not just me with the crazy memory!
Nicole- how exciting- I liked the idea that each state voted for what should be on the coins too.

I keep saying to everyone how much I’ve loved this particular tag for finding out so much about my fave bloggers! I love Denmark, I visited a couple of years ago I would love to live there! I’m also a big indie music fan, I was all about the Brit Pop in the 90’s! Oh and I also hate roller coasters too, my ex once forced me on one at Alton Towers it was awful!